


Building Cats and Bears

by WxnterSoldier



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alpine - Freeform, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers Academy - Freeform, Build A Bear, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, bucky and steve are both 19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25897129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WxnterSoldier/pseuds/WxnterSoldier
Summary: Bucky seemed more gloomy recently, it worried Steve that his best friend was upset or worse. So he’s going to take him to the mall and have a fun day with his cru-Friend.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 13
Kudos: 32





	Building Cats and Bears

**Author's Note:**

> It's been in my mind and did research for this. First ever fic yay

Steve pulled in to one of the motorcycle parking spaces before immediately texting Bucky he was there. Bucky seemed to be feeling down recently, more gloomy than normal. He looked around and noticed his best friend curled up in a large hoodie on one of the benches.

“Bucky!” He called, running to him.  


“Oh... Hey...” Bucky stands up and smiles softly. “I’m ready to go...”  


“Yeah... You look great.” Steve offers his friend a hand but was ignored. He followed his friend to the doors and went inside. The mall wasn’t too busy, but not quite empty, the usual kids running around adults. “Do you wanna go clothes shopping?”  


“Sure...” Bucky still had his hood up, looking down at his feet. Once near one of the stores he took his hood down, letting his hair fall to his shoulders, a little messy from being stuck underneath. Steve had to bite his lip, he had always found Bucky to be very stunning, struggling not to tell him he is beautiful every second. He had a crush, a big one. 

They headed in to the first store, one of those pricey brand named places. A place where they would only browse and not buy anything. $80 for a t shirt was too steep even though Steve brought almost 300 with him. Bucky wasn’t too interested, just going past and glancing at everything.

“Wanna leave?” Steve asks.  


“Yeah... Not really my thing.” Bucky shuffled his feet, still looking down. “Wanna get lunch instead?”  


“Yeah? Pizza? Or...”  


“Pizza is good but craving fries and a milkshake.” He smiles softly, placing a hand on his stomach.  


“Let’s go get you fries and a milkshake. I’ll probably grab a burger or two.” Steve reached for Bucky’s hand not realising what he was doing until Bucky was holding hands with him and walking to the nearest fast food chain. Once Bucky ordered his fries and chocolate milkshake and found a seat an empty corner, Steve got to work on asking for his pickles removed from his burgers. He got their food and sat opposite Bucky. “Here. Your choco shake and two packs of medium fries.”  


“Thank you.” He opened up the top if his shake and dunked one of his fries in before eating. “It’s not too good... soggy...” Steve chuckled at Bucky’s reaction and opened one of the burger boxes. They were giggling while they ate, only for Bucky’s face to fall slightly near the end.   


“These are so good.” Steve hummed while finishing up and downing his coke. Bucky popped the lid back on his shake so he could take it with him while they walked around. They dropped their trash in the recycling and Bucky continued to drink his shake as they walked through the mall. He dropped the empty cup in the bin as the continued to browse random stores. Steve noticed how Bucky wasn’t looking as happy as they were face to face a lunch. Taking his hand again, he brought Bucky over to a dim lit corner.

“What’s up, Buck? You’ve been looking down all week.” Steve was worried, was Bucky not having fun? Did he or one of his friends do something wrong?  


“Nothing... Okay.” He tries not to look at Steve, biting the ends of his sleeve to bring them up over his hands. “Let’s just continue and-” Steve grabs his shoulders to keep him from walking away.

“Please tell me... If something is wrong or if anyone is hurting you..”  


“I’m moving.” Steve just looked at Bucky, eyes widening.  


“You’re moving... Like away? Where?”  


“I don’t know where... But my dad, his job.. I didn’t tell you so you wouldn’t be sad.. Or anything.” Bucky sniffled. “And then... Then Rumlow and that were saying stuff and I... I didn’t.. I-” Bucky’s eyes were watery as he hugged Steve. He didn’t know what to say, his best friend and crush were being bullied and was going to move away to god knows where. Steve held Bucky close and let him cry it out on his shoulder.  


“It’s okay... It’s okay, Bucky..” He shifts so can look at Bucky, whose cheeks and nose were now red, tear stains on Steve’s jacket. “No more crying... Please...” He wipes away the falling tears and gives him another hug.  


“I’m sorry, I ruined our day...”  


“You didn’t, you didn’t ruin anything.” He smiles and rubs Bucky’s back as he tries to cheer him up. “I know, Buck, do you want to make two travelling buddies?”  


“Wh... What?” Bucky is a little confused.

“I’ll pay for them. Don’t tell me you have never been to Build a bear?”  


“Build a bea- wait, are you sure?”  


“Yep! Come on. We were talking about it a few months ago.” Taking his metal hand, Steve let Bucky wipe his tears away before heading to the store. “Ready to go in.” Bucky nodded softly and headed inside. They looked over the plush skins, letting Bucky decide. “Who are you getting?” Bucky wandered around before picking out a snow leopard first.

“I like this one...”   


“You can get one more, okay?” He watched as Bucky gravitated towards a bunch of animal ones. “A dog maybe, this puppy is cute.” Steve turned to look at the pure white cat that was now in his hands.  


“This one... They look like snow.” Bucky’s voice was more soft when he looked at the cat, small smile on his face. Steve knew Bucky liked cats but couldn’t have one due to his younger sister’s allergies.  


“They’re cute. Let’s go get them filled up.” Bucky followed Steve to the small line at the stuffing station. He had them cuddled up to his chest using his right arm.  


“Thank you..” He whispered, smiling up at Steve, and if Steve’s heart didn’t flutter every time Bucky did. “I don’t know what to name them.”  


“We’ll think of some, okay? Do you want your kitty to make a noise?” Bucky looked up at him, almost if asking if that was okay. “Luckily the computer is just up ahead so you can think.”  


“I’ll pay you back for this.”  


“No you won’t. Cause I’ve been saving up and since I can’t spend your birthday with you cause of the move, so we can do this now.”  


“You’re too sweet, Stevie...” Bucky hugged Steve with his left arm, as they made their way slowly to the front of the line. “I don’t want a sound. She doesn’t need one.”  


“Alright, guess no smells either?”  


“No. Don’t want them stinky.”  


“You gotta give them clothes, can’t be naked.”  


“Yeah, I can have a look around.” He finally hands his two felines to a worker who is putting his name on the tags and part of the barcode in them for tracking in case they got lost. “Thank you.”  


“Ready to stuff em?” Bucky nodded and handed the leopard over to the worker first. Once the the employee was ready, he stepped on the peddle and started filling up the first plush. Steve pulled his phone out to record small clips of Bucky having fun and uploading them to his insta and snapchat stories. Bucky gave them a cuddle, telling the worker they were cuddly enough before filling the kitten.

“Have you thought of a name for them?”  


“I don’t know but the cat... Her name is Alpine. She reminds me of snow and fluffy marshmallows you get in hot chocolate when at ski lodges.”  


“That’s super cute, let’s see if she stands and if she is perfectly cuddly.” She placed the white cat down and they both cheered when Alpine stood up. Bucky gave her a cuddle and let the worker have her back. “Any scents?”  


“No.” Steve got ready to record the cutest part.  


“Grab two hearts for me.” Bucky pulled out a red satin heart and a a checkered one. “Alright, rub them in your palms to get their hearts started and warmed up, and rub them on your cheeks so they are cheeky, and one your sides so they will always be by your side.” Bucky did each action with both hearts, Steve smiling as he recorded Bucky rubbing the hearts on his head so his friends would be smart. “And rub them on your heart so they are full of love. Now close your eyes and make a big wish.” Holding them tightly, Bucky closed his eyes and made his wishes. “Seal it with a kiss and place them inside.” Bucky kissed the two hearts, placing the checkered one in Alpine and the red one in his leopard. They get sewn up and Bucky finally makes his way to Steve with his cats in hand.  


“Let’s get the dressed, shall we?”  


“Gotta give them a bath first. Can’t have them being stinky.” He laid them down the bathing station and pressed the pedal to start the air and used one of the brushes to clean them.

“So cute...”   


“All clean.” He gives them another hug before Steve leads them to the clothes. Bucky looks over them first before picking out a varsity jacket for Alpine. He took her to the dressing table and made sure not to pull of any tags as he dressed her. “Well?”  


“Looks good on her.”  


“Could you grab me the black jeans and the black shirt over there.” Steve did as asked, bringing over the “emotional support bear” shirt and jeans to him. It took Bucky some time and a pair of matching combat boots for his leopard to be dressed. Steve helped Bucky with the thin laces as he couldn’t grip them too well with his metal hand.

"The coolest cats in the entirety of New York. Now they need birth certificates if you want them that is."

"I would like too.." He brought his two kitties to the computers and scans Alpine's tag first, inputs her name and his details before doing the same with his leopard. 

"What are we naming em?"

"Since Alpine is named after snow... Maybe Winter.. Steve! The have a mask over there, like the one's superheroes have... Could you get it?" Steve nodded and let Bucky fill out Winter's birth certificate.

"Got it. All done." He opens the plastic pack and adds the mask to Winter's face. Bucky picked them up, hugging them.

"Let's get them paid for then." They made their way to the counter with all the tags. The workers removed the tags so they could go in the drawstring bag Bucky picked out along with both certificates. He wanted them in the same one which was good Steve. With everything paid, Bucky put his little bag of friend's on his back. "Aw.. They're so cute."

"Gonna carry them like this, don't care what anyone else thinks." Steve smiled before taking Bucky's hand.

"Got one more surprise, okay?" Bucky looks a little worried, mostly because this was a lot of money that Steve didn't mind spending. The surprise? Taking Bucky to his favourite candy store. "Get what you want."

"Are you sure? Steve, this is a lot..."

"I want to... Cause you deserve lots of good things." They made their way in, starting at the back and finding more cat plushies and mugs.

"Aw. Do you think they have those hazelnut chocolates, or maybe plum hard sweets?" They look around, Steve helping Bucky with getting his sweets. Mostly chocolates, a few types of gummy sweets in various shapes like strawberries and caterpillars. And some hard candy for his travelling. It was a few good sized bags adding up to about $30. Another bag for Bucky to take home. It was dark when they finally left the mall and Steve stayed with Bucky until his bus arrived. "Thank you for all of this Steve... Gonna miss you."

"Hey, don't start crying again... Gonna miss you too. When do you leave?"

"In two days. Glad I could spend today with you... And thank you for all of my stuff, I never got you anything, oh Steve..."

"It's fine. Getting to spend a whole day with my best guy was worth it." Soon the bus showed up and they hugged each other tight before Steve helped Bucky with his bags as he showed his ticket to the driver.

"Bye, Steve."

"Bye, Bucky..." Steve watched as Bucky went to sit down and the doors closed. He won't see Bucky in person for a while, and he... He forgot to tell Bucky and now it's too late to confess. He made his way home, making sure his motorcycle was parked safely and ran inside to cuddle in his mother's arms. "I don't want him to go.."

"I know.. I know you don't, but he had fun today, right? He had a fun day with his best friend?" Steve nodded as his mother dried his tears.

"I took his to build a bear and the candy place. Cause I was gonna do it for his birthday but I thought we should do it now.." He snuggles close to her. "And he got these two cats and named one Alpine and the other Winter. And then I forgot to tell him.."

"Tell him what, dear?"

"That I love him.. Like love love him." Sarah hugged him again, kissing his hair.

"It's never too late. When does he leave?"

"Two days... So there's only tomorrow left, I think."

"Tell him tomorrow when you're ready, okay?" Steve nodded and waited for tomorrow to come.

\------------

Telling Bucky wasn't as easy as he thought. First, Riley called asking for help with his acting homework.

"Wait, that's today... Ah. Okay, won't be too long. See you in five." Bucky will have to wait. He quickly got ready and headed to Riley's place. "Hey."

"Come in come in. So can you help with my script. It's a confession between two lovers, it's emotional but not in tears emotional." He sits down at his dining table with Steve, script papers in front of them on the table cloth. "So you play the role of Edgar, and I play the farm boy Bucky. Start page twenty two." Steve took a deep breathe, the character was named Bucky, if the character was named the same, maybe it would help when actually confessing.

Taking a deep breath, he started with "I love you, Bucky... I love you so much." Trying to add the right amount of emotion.

"Edgar... I.." Steve's phone started ringing, it was Clint.

"Ah, Clint is calling.. I'll be quick."

"Take your time." Riley watched as Steve left the room to try and hear what Clint was saying. "Did you get it?" He looks under the table at Sam who had recorded the interaction.

"It sounded good so I sent it to Nat." He took his headphones out and climbed from under the table to give Riley a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Sam? When did you get here?" Steve asked when he got back.

"Was asleep on the couch."

\-------

"We got the recording, get off the phone."

"Uh... It's fine, don't worry, Steve, you get back to what you were doing." He hung up while Steve tried saying goodbye. "Okay, bear time." He followed Natasha in to the same build a bear Steve and Bucky were at the afternoon before.

"He took him here yesterday, did you see his snap?"

"I did. So how do we get the voice in the bear?"

"Gotta choose a bear first. Aw... Lil black kitty..." Natasha got temporarily distracted by one of the cats. "Right... Get the blonde bear with not so cartoony eyes." She told Clint as she reached in to pull out on of the black cat skins.

"You getting one too?" He pulls the best one out and brings it to her.

"Yeah. Let's try and get this recording." It took a while to get the audio on the chip but the workers managed to get it clear on the sound chip before popping it in to the bear's paw. Next they stuffed the cat and bear separately, Clint trying to figure what Steve smells like the most before going with a cotton candy scent, and Natasha making Clint promise that he never saw her doing the heart ceremony. "Liho. That's my kitty."

"Nat... Come look at this." She walks over to him, cuddling her cat.  


"I'll find the matching boots." The got the bear dressed and named both of them, they pay for them and get the cub condo boxes and certificates.

"I hope he likes Steve-Bear. I'll add the tag soon and drop em outside his house and run."

"Sounds like a plan." Natasha said as she messaged Sam and Riley, who had to keep Steve busy for just a little longer.

\---------

Steve made his way home, not managing to tell Bucky and was completely down, bumping in to Clint who was running down the street.

"Night run?"

"Yep!"

\-------

There was a knock at the door and George, Bucky's dad, went to open it, wiggling past all the boxes in the hall.

"What is it, hun?"

"It's for James." He brings in the house like box, and hands it to Bucky, who had Alpine and Winter next to him on the floor.

"It's one of them Build a Bear boxes, right?" Becca asks and he nods slowly as he opens it. "What is it?" Bucky takes out the certificate and smiles.

"Steve Bear." He takes the bear out, smiling at his bright red boots and star spangled outfit and shield. "It looks like him, hehe." He gave him a hug, smelling the cotton candy scent. "Smells good." Bucky shows the bear to his family, squeezing his paws gently.

"I love you, Bucky... I love you so much." Everyone was quiet as Bucky just stared at the bear, wide eyed as he brought it close.

"Big bro.." He was trying not to cry in front of his sister as he was hugged by his mother.

"I don't wanna leave him, mom... Please.."

"Honey.. We need to tell you something..."

\---------

Everyone was at Steve's comforting him, he had been a wreak all morning, barely eating and staying cuddled in a blanket, even as his friends joined him. Thor had come with pizza and Scott was trying to entertain with magic tricks. Nat had brought Liho with her, Riley and Sam took the time to lay out all the movies the had with them, and Clint just hugged him tight.

"We miss him too..." They tried to make him feel better but he just contained his tears as best as he could. "Saw a moving van outside, maybe we can get a new friend."

"Steve," His mother called. "It'll be okay..." She sat with them until something slammed in to the before knocking rapidly. "I'll get it." Steve wiping his face again and cuddled his blanket more. "Bucky?" Steve's heart stopped, slowly looking towards the living room entrance. They were quiet and watched as Bucky, along with Alpine and Steve bear came in to view.

"Bucky?"

"Is it true... Do you really?" He pressed the bear's paw and let the recording play. "Please..." Steve didn't know what to say, staring at Bucky and the bear.

"I... I do." Standing, he walked over to Bucky and pulled him in to his arms. "I love you so much." He kissed Bucky's forehead. "I thought you were gone.."

"Ah... Maybe I should explain." They sat down together, Bucky letting Alpine meet Liho. "My parents never told me where I was moving too. I just heard it was closer to work and assumed it was somewhere other than New York and then it turns out we were moving closer to you."

"So the moving van we saw this morning was you?" Scott asked and Bucky nodded.

"Mhm. Yeah... Steve, I love you too." At like a rocket, Steve went to tell his mother the good news. "The wish I put in Alpine came true... With the help of some friends." Bucky smiled at them.

"Fairies or whatever magical creatur-"

"Wouldn't class Clint as a magical creature. I could tell by the hand writing." Clint proceed to smile sheepishly. "I can here his voice everywhere now... Thank you."

"Okay... How did you even get the recording?" Steve asked as he sat with Bucky again.

"Sam hid under the table, plus the rest of those scripts were just gibberish..." Riley admitted and Steve smiled.

"You lot planned an entire thing like this and got it to work?"

"Took effort." Natasha said as Alpine and Liho now sat together. Scott looked at Steve Bear for a moment.

"Now Bucky has to make one that looks like his for Steve." He says.

"Some other time. I think we need to take a break from bear building." Steve replies, kissing Bucky again.

"I love you, Steve."

"I love you too, Buck."


End file.
